It might be harder to find an employer, but I think there's enough work out there to overcome the problem of being older than others. It might depend somewhat on how flexible you're prepared to be with location and income.

I'm currently in Laos teaching and there does not appear to be any hard and fast rule about age here that I have heard of. In fact, there's a teacher shortage here from what I can see. Depending on what kind of lifestyle you are looking for, you can definitely find work here in Vientiane. If I can be of any help with questions, fire away.

Yes, itís true that most anyone can get a teaching job in Vientiane, but there are actually few teachings jobs in Laos. With a population of circa 08 million (thatís the NATIONWIDE population), most of whom are rural farmers thereís very very little demand for foreign teachers outside of the capital city.

What makes it seem like a teacher shortage is actually massive continual turnover. Other than ONE real international school, nobody offers year-round full-time salaried employment. There are a handful of ďinternationalĒ and bilingual schools and kindergartens that offer 10-month contracts and a few colleges/language institutes that can give work at an hourly rate with somewhere in the range of 03 Ė 15 hours a week. As a result, not many teachers even consider working there.

So, yes itís true; those schools are generally looking for somebody (anybody) throughout the entire academic year. People quit on the spot, give notice, get fired, get deported, move (back) to Thailand, get air-lifted to Thailand, get bored to death and go mad (itís dead boring) or occasionally just disappear. But no, itís not a teacher shortage.

To the OP, yes there are people 55 years of age and over working in all of those places and more. Where did you get your information?

Last edited by sigmoid on Mon Dec 31, 2012 4:54 am; edited 1 time in total

Sig, good clarification, and spot on. I'm not new to teaching, but I am new to Dave's ESL forum.

If the OP was considering Vientiane, lots to consider as you mentioned. The biggest one probably being the kind of place you want to work at and what you can expect. There is massive turnover, for sure. Clearly you've been here. Personally I prefer adults and language center work, but I know others, and possibly most teachers on this forum, are looking for a contracted position at a an international school. This usually means primary and secondary education, which is just not my thing.

Thanks for the clarification, was needed. Just trying to contribute what I can to the forum.

Personally I prefer adults and language center work, but I know others, and possibly most teachers on this forum, are looking for a contracted position at a an international school. This usually means primary and secondary education, which is just not my thing.

Yes, me too. Are you finding much of that type of work in Vientiane these days?

Yes, me too. Are you finding much of that type of work in Vientiane these days?

Referring to teaching adults in language centers--

I was in fact disappointed that there are not as many office worker type students at the language centers here. I did have a weekend gig (3 hours Sat and 3hrs Sun) teaching at a center where all the students were adults.

As for that prime time slot at language centers Mon-Fri (5-7pm), I've found it mixed with teenagers, uni students and just a handful of adults.

Have not been here as long as others, but I'm aware of a guy that gets contracted out through his language center to teach in various company offices, almost exclusively.

There is also a middle man of sorts with an institute called "Inspire" that seems to exclusively go for the corporate and government contracts. I however have not worked with him.

Back to the original topic, if you were 70 you might be too old to start, might not be. In 2007, while in my mid 50s, I started here in China. I did a year in Azerbaijan from '08 to '09; have been here in Guangzhou since then. I am now past 60 and have had no trouble working. For the past two years or so I have been totally self-employed as a private tutor. I believe that students are, other things being not too unequal, more attracted to me as a teacher than they are to younger teachers because they assume that older people are more experienced and more skilled. Two years ago I turned down a job offer from one of the better universities here in Guangzhou (I hadn't been looking, but one of my students worked there, told me they had an opening, recommended me to the Dean of Students, so I decided to interview just to see what they might offer); decided I wanted to go with my own thing. If you want to teach younger students the competition could be tough; I think most parents and principals believe younger teachers (and with the youngest students, younger women) are better than older teachers. But from high school up I think the advantage of a presumption of experience and skill gives older teachers an advantage. Don't hide your age when you look for work!